


Lost in Time

by ostentatiouslyrealistic



Series: The Different Phases [3]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Books, Gen, Reading
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-02
Updated: 2017-09-02
Packaged: 2018-12-23 02:29:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11980167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ostentatiouslyrealistic/pseuds/ostentatiouslyrealistic
Summary: Because time is lost from all.





	Lost in Time

Contrary to the others' beliefs, Keith did not spend every waking, breathing moment holed up in the training room. Sure, he loved to beat down sparring bots and gladiators, but he didn't enjoy doing it 24/7. He only really used it whenever he desperately wanted to take his mind off of something or if he felt a little more frustrated than most days. In all fairness, activities were limited aboard the castle.

Truth be told, if anyone asked Keith what his favorite activity was for passing by time, his answer would probably shock all, save for Shiro and Coran. Shiro because he had been his senior training officer. And Coran because he had stumbled upon Keith leisurely curled up on the couch in the lounge. One glare and a slow blink was enough to send the Altean whistling along his way, mustache quivering with silent caution.

And so here he was, curled up on the observation deck, legs pulled up to his chest, book cradled between his chest and thighs as he read. It was late, deep into the night judging from the clock Pidge had installed to read earth time. Of course, around space, minutes bled into hours, which continued on to days, and so on. A never ending abstract that Keith lost himself to whenever his eyes scanned the words printed on old, yellowing pages.

By luck, it had been one of the trips to the space mall where he'd found the first book written in English. The store's selection had been small, but it was enough for Keith, who dug deep into his pockets and paid the clerk with the allowance Coran had given each of the paladins. And to his delight, his money had been well spent.

Reading had always been his favorite way of escaping reality. The desert offered a rich, beautiful sunset, but that only lasted a few minutes during the limbo between day and night. The majority of his time had either been spent following his gut on the odd sensation that would later turn out to be the blue lion or curled up on the beat up couch with a book held in one hand as he lost himself in various tales of heroism, science, space—whatever he could find, he read.

He lifted his eyes, gazing out into the dense blackness peppered with stars that threatened to swallow them whole and took a deep breath. Inhaling the smoky, earthy aroma that came with old books, he felt a stab of sadness, for even though the universe offered so much, the words that he could and loved to read had become limited. There would be no ready supply of endless possibilities for Keith to lose himself in, and the idea pained him.

The sound of the doors sliding open startled him, and he grappled the book to his chest. Turning his head wearily, he noticed a bush of orange hair and wide purple eyes as Coran stopped to watch him with surprise. His eyes dropped to Keith's rigid posture and a small smile stretched across his face. Striding forward, he said nothing as he held out a hand. Laid flat on his palm were two things. One, an old copy of Altean literature, and the other, an old, dusty translator.  

Wordlessly, cautiously, Keith took the offerings and glanced up at Coran, whose smile only widened, and the Altean shrugged. Then he turned, yawned rather loudly, and waved good night without looking back as he made his way back out of the observation deck, most likely heading off to bed.

Keith watched him go, and when he finally disappeared from sight, he looked down at the new book on his lap, then at the translator. With the push of a button, the device whirred and sprang to life, and Keith held it up as it scanned the Altean book. Within seconds, the entirety of the novel had been translated, and he watched, heart pulsing in his chest, as words upon words of English appeared on the dimly lit screen.

Setting it down on the ground, he crossed his legs and leaned forward, setting his elbows on his knees as the palms of his hands supported his cheeks. With a new spark in his chest, and a soft smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, he began to read.

**Author's Note:**

> Meep, I just wanted to show that Keith gets homesick too. Also, I hardly ever read about Coran interacting with Keith as an individual, and well... /shrugs/
> 
> [tumblr](http://www.quiznaksicles.tumblr.com)


End file.
